n response to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recent groundbreaking rulings on non-sugar sweeteners and the safety of aspartame, iwonder, the international documentary streaming service, is launching an array of thought-provoking films in August.
These films aim to shed light on our knowledge of food, health, and science, whilst encouraging viewers to rethink what they perceive as “healthy diet”.
The ‘New Science of Food’, set to release on August 3, takes viewers on an enthralling journey from a Brazilian street market to a Boston donut shop. This visually-rich film challenges our conventional wisdom about nutrition, based on outdated science and dubious advice, and presents revolutionary research on our dietary choices.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Seifert, a director and concerned father, ventures into the realm of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in ‘GMO OMG’. He travels from his home to as far as Haiti, Paris, and Norway, and even to the lobby of agriculture giant Monsanto. Seifert questions the impact of GMOs on our children, our planet, and our autonomy, provoking the audience to ponder the food on their plates.
‘The Carnivore’s Dilemma’ brings another dimension to the discourse. This documentary explores the consequences of relentless industrial farming and its impact on our health, the environment, and animal welfare. Benoît Bringer, a first-time father and award-winning journalist, investigates whether we should continue eating meat and presents a vision for a future where responsible farmers raise animals humanely.
Additionally, this month’s ‘iWonder What Top Five’ examines the increasingly pressing issue of obesity. The featured films present various perspectives on the topic, from historical reviews to personal experiences.
These include ‘FAT: A Documentary’, which traces the roots of America’s escalating health crisis, and ‘100 Kilo Kids: Obesity SOS’, which highlights the struggle of Britain’s obese children.
Two more documentaries, ‘Fat Camps’ and ‘Chubby Chaser’, provide an American perspective on the issue. The former looks into Camp Pocono, the largest ‘fat camp’ in the US that caters to the country’s 14 million obese teenagers. The latter, meanwhile, delves into societal norms of beauty and body size through the lens of filmmaker Jeff Sterne.
Finally, the acclaimed ‘Embrace’ tells the story of Australian Taryn Brumfitt, a global body image activist who uses her personal journey to tackle the worldwide body-hating epidemic.
